Chinese scientists have begun digging a hole more than 10,000 meters deep, in what according to Bloomberg is part of the efforts of “the second largest economy in the world to discover new frontiers above and below the surface of the planet”. The excavation work is taking place in a region in the north of the country, marking a milestone in China’s exploration of the depths of the earth and providing an unprecedented opportunity to study the planet’s deep subsurface regions.

The agency released a clip showing the excavation work:

During the drilling process, drill rigs and pipes weighing more than 2,000 tons will penetrate deep into the earth, reaching over 10 continental layers, with the aim of reaching a depth of 11,100 meters, according to the Chinese agency. In a speech to the country’s top scientists in 2021, Chinese President Xi Jiping called for progress in exploring the depths of the earth.

Bloomberg said the drilling work can aid in the exploration of minerals and energy resources and assess the risks of environmental disasters, such as earthquakes and volcanoes. The deepest man-made hole on Earth is still the “Kola Deep Well”, which reached a depth of 12,262 meters in 1989 after 20 years of drilling.